Dec 8, 2009

ASIAN CHRISTMAS BERRIES A gift for you!

ARTIST'S CORNER

Artist: Sue Hulen

It's that time of year when the beautiful white flowers on my two Christmas Berry bushes have fallen and replaced by bright red berries. They're also known as holly bushes. They are just beautiful with their brilliant green leaves and their bright red berries. Every year at this time I look forward to going out back and just enjoying them.The reason I chose to paint the Christmas Berries is because, to me, they really do signify the Christmas season. I decided on a somewhat simple design as Asian art is very clean and simple designs. As always I suggest that you play with this and have fun with it. Asian art is free painting and no patterns are used. You could simply trace around the painting after you've printed it out.

Have a wonderful holiday and from me to you....MERRY CHRISTMAS!! HAPPY HANUKKAH!!

CHINESE WATERCOLORS ( You can substitute these colors with your choice of acrylic colors)

FOR LEAVES: Emerald Green Burnt Sienna Rouge

FOR BRANCH: Burnt Sienna Emerald Green

STEM: Emerald Green Rouge

BERRIES: Carmine

INSTRUCTIONS

LEAVES: First get your bowl of clean water ready for cleaning brushes and for weakening some of your paint colors. Dip your Dynasty 206 series #6 Round in water. Wipe the excess of brush onto a paper towel. Then dip brush in Emerald Green, and then dip the tip back into water enough to just get the tip wet. Begin your stroke at top of leaf using little pressure and increase pressure to the end of the leaf and then less pressure at bottom of leaf where leaf will connect to branch. You want to leave some white space where you can. That is called "Flying White."Do this for all of your leafs. Tip the left and middle leaf with Rouge using your #1 R Black Gold brush. You can place your leafs wherever you'd like.

BRANCH: Using your #2 R Black Gold brush dip into Burnt Sienna (watered down a bit) and Emerald Green mixed with Burnt Sienna with a bit of water. Using the side of the tip of the brush run brush up the paper a short ways (aprox. 1"). Allow a break and then repeat the same colors and stroke for the rest of the branch. The tiny beginning stems are painted with a #0 Round using the same colors. The stem at top of is done by using the tip of the #1 Black Gold Script Liner. Dip brush in Emerald Green and Rouge. Remember to make a break in the branch. When painting the very tip of that branch leave a little break between two small strokes below the tip strokes.

STEM: Using the #1 Black Gold Script Liner dip tip of brush in Emerald Green with a tiny bit of Burnt Sienna at tip. Make your stem very fine, but do not connect it to the leaf. Leave a tiny break between stem and leaf.

BERRIES: Using the tip of the #2 R Black Gold brush dip in Carmine (do not dilute) and press berries where you so desire. Do not pick-up too much paint on your tip or you could smudge it or make it too thick.

If you have any comments or questions please feel free to Email me anytime. If you'd like a pattern for this project just Email me and I'll make one for you. As I always say....remember to paint with your spirit. Let your spirit be your guide.